Plastic bags: EU countries to reduce usage by 80% by 2019

9:06 AM MDT | March 11, 2014 | Michael Ravenscroft

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted in favor of legislation to reduce the consumption of plastic carrier bags in the European Union. The parliament’s environment committee backed draft rules this week, under which European Union member states would have to reduce their consumption of plastic bags by at least 50% by 2017 and by 80% by 2019. MEPs recommend using measures such as taxes or levies, marketing restrictions, or even an outright ban, to restrict consumption of plastic bags, which often end up as litter, especially the marine...